Office Ergonomics

In the days when typists were trained to sit with their backs straight and their feet directly in front of them to capture proper posture, office ergonomics was not really a consideration. In today’s office
environment, many workers perform their tasks in a virtual world, spending a majority of the day
in front of computer screens, often located in a "cube," of “workstation” and are responsible for
multitasking for 10 or more hours a day. As a result, workers are experiencing more stress and work-
related injuries of which some are due to poor ergonomics.

Significance

Because office ergonomics targets the arrangement of your workspace, productivity and overall
quality of daily work can improve and the risk of injury can decrease. While the majority of work-
related injuries occur due to falls, improper lifting techniques, repetitive movements and awkward
positioning, using approved ergonomic furniture and arranging the workspace to fit the way a person
works in the office can alleviate or at minimum eliminate some of the factors that contribute to
these injuries.

Injuries

The most common office-related injuries involve the musculoskeletal, vision and hearing systems.
Musculoskeletal injuries that can result from poor ergonomics include bursitis, carpal tunnel
syndrome, muscle strains, tendinitis and tennis elbow. Vision impairments include eye strain;
watery, red and swollen eyes; double-vision; headaches due to eye strain; and neck and shoulder
pain from poor posture. The inability to concentrate that can be caused by noises from nearby office
machines and coworker conversations can result in hearing issues.

Benefits of Ergonomic Office Furniture

Injuries and health problems can develop from office workers spending hours each day sitting in desk
chairs and working on computers. The development of more comfortable furniture that also helps
prevent injury, is one way this issue is being addressed. There are many benefits to office workers
from using ergonomic furniture and practices.